


Happy Birthday Shiro

by Dxlyaxe



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Happy Birthday Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:01:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22957570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dxlyaxe/pseuds/Dxlyaxe
Summary: Shiro has a lot on his plate, and when his schedule suddenly changes he can't help but wonder what the heck happened. Thankfully his friends are able to help him fill the time and he realizes just how much he was overworked and manage to surprise him as well.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	Happy Birthday Shiro

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfic in a very long time, but Voltron, Shiro, Keith (and more specifcially Sheith) has come to mean a great deal to me since I got into the fandom. Shiro's true birthday only comes once every four years and I didn't want to miss it. I hope you enjoy it. Shoutout to my husband for beta reading. He's always been my biggest supporter.

It started with Lance, though he later realizes that it actually starts with the Atlas crew. His schedule is relatively clear for once, and he stared at his data pad in confusion at the change. He could have sworn he had more meetings than this last night. Still, Shiro wasn’t going to ignore the boon and took his time in the shower. He let himself indulge in some fantasy for once, a week’s worth of stress and frustration washed itself down the drain. He doesn’t normally ignore his own needs for so long but between the formation of the coalition and meeting after meeting on top of commanding a ship far too large for his own experience level, most nights he collapsed in bed and rose with enough time for a five minute shower before he’s back in the thick of it. 

Keith calls him an idiot on more than one occasion. Voltron may be gone, but the Paladins still keep the Atlas as home and were frequently in and out of the ship. Allura was a constant presence, and though she is on New Altea more often then than not, she and Shiro still manage to squeeze in messages every day and a video call once a week. Shiro has been reminded on dozens of occasions how he needs to let go, let someone else deal with the mess and just to stop trying to fix everything every time. Shiro knew they were right, but the need to be in constant control is still ingrained in him. From a young age it felt like Shiro had no control of his own life: his disease, Garrison schedules, space, the arena, Voltron, his sudden promotion to Commander of the IGF Atlas… if the only thing Shiro can control is what happens inside his own ship, then he’s going to hold on to that control with both hands. 

He dressed down for the day, hoping to get to the gym for a few hours, maybe spar with James as both Acxa and Keith were out on a sudden Blades assignment. James wasn’t much of an opponent in truth, but the casual spar still gave Shiro the movement he craved without wearing him down. Mind settled, he turns to the door when there is a knock. 

Lance is on the other side, a basket in hand and a grin on his face. “Hey!”

“Hey, Lance. What’s up?”

“Dude, did you know the Altas has a sauna?”

“Uh? No?” Shiro tried to think through the schematics. He thought he would remember something like that, but he also learned that his ship likes to reconfigure herself from time to time depending on the needs of the crew. Which once included a small baseball field replacing the auditorium for a week. 

“Yeah, I found it this morning when I got turned around and, no, don’t laugh, I can’t help it your ship is a giant mechanical toddler. Anyways, I found it and figured I’d see who I could round up to enjoy.” Lance lifted the basket up, full of, what Keith called, beauty supplies.

Shiro sighed and rubbed his neck. It sounded relaxing, but sitting around wasn’t really what he wanted to do this morning and he still has… issues with his body. Therapy helps, but some things he’s just not ready for, and lounging about in a hot sweaty room with Lance and no shirt isn’t high on his list right now. 

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m going to pass. I’m headed to the gym actually if you want to join later.”

“Oh! Okay, yeah let’s go!”

“Uh, Lance? You hate the gym.”

“What? I do not.”

“Last week you came on the bridge and gave a five minute speech about how the only kind of exercise should be yoga, Pilates, and the shooting range before launching into a rant about Ezor cheating.”

“Well, she was!” Lance crossed his arms. “Look, I don’t mind sparring when it’s you. You’re nice. And you don’t cheat.”

Shiro tossed his hands up in defeat. “Alright, lets go.”

The gym was quiet, James and Kinkade sparring on one of the mats while Ezor and Zethrid watched. Veronica was on some of the equipment, and several other crew members he recognized but didn't know. Sparring with Lance is better than James. Lance _was there_ , he knew when to push and when to pull back. He knows how to take down a larger opponent and he definitely knows when he’s in over his head and when to yield. Shiro is pleased with Lance’s progress, even if he does bitch about the bruises.

“You’ve gotten a lot better.” 

“Thanks! Allura taught me some stuff last time I was in New Altea, and Ezor may be a cheat but she’s a good teacher. She calls it negative reinforcement, but I think she’s just mean.”

“How is Allura?” Even if they communicate all the time, Shiro understood how it was to hide weakness. She has to constantly be on her A-game as the leader of the coalition and de facto Queen of New Altea. Sometimes it’s hard to put that kind of mask away, even for friends. 

“Tired, honestly. She called last night and cried for like half an hour over the ridiculous demands being made by some of the potential coalition members. She’s got this ball coming up she wants no part of and she’s got three fittings for six dresses, all of which she hates, but would put her in good standing with several planets.”

“I’m sorry. It can’t be easy for either of you.” 

“It’s not, but she needs more time to get herself settled. Even if I am a paladin, even if she is a paladin, some planets respect power more than titles. With Voltron gone, being a paladin, saving the whole universe means nothing to them. Still, I’m hoping to move there more permanently next year.”

“It’ll go by quick.” 

“I hope. I’m tired of feeling helpless.” Lance sighed and gave a weak smile. “Anyways, thanks, Shiro, for listening. You’re always busy, but you always find a way to make time to listen.”

“You’re my team, I’ll always make time for you.” 

Lance fiddled with his data pad for a moment then tossed it back in his bag. “Come on, it's nearly lunch. I’m sure Hunk and Romelle have come up with something new to try.”

“Sure. I have a meeting at 1500, so I have some time.”

“Awesome!"

* * *

Shiro’s schedule stayed oddly light the next week, and though part of him enjoyed the time off, part of him hated it. He found himself wandering the halls late at night, usually ending up in the gym where he worked out or sparred with whoever is unlucky enough to be there. 

Pidge finds him during one of his late night walks. He’s watching a passing nebula, a swirl of purple and gold that makes him feel hollow. Keith has been gone two weeks now, distant enough that communication is impossible and though they’ve been apart before, something about this particular trip has left him off balance. 

“Did you know there’s more argon in that nebula than in the Milky Way?”

“Pidge! Kind of startled me there.”

Pidge shrugs and stands beside him. “Atlas said you’ve been up late. And I don’t keep a sleep schedule so here I am.”

Shiro shot a look at the corner of the hall where he knows Atlas is likely watching. She doesn’t have the same level of sentience the lions had, but at the same time she also seemed to have more. Sam and Pidge theorized that Atlas was built by humans and so had a human's curiosity and learning pattern. It’d only been three years since the first flight and they all expected Atlas to continue to grow and learn for as long as it existed. Perhaps someday she would be a lion in her own right. 

“I know I can’t tell you what to do, but I can suggest a sleep pattern would be good for you,” Shiro said.

“Pot, kettle.”

“Point made. What has you up this time?”

“Do you really want to know? Or are you going to zone out like Lance does every time he asks?”

“Please, I might not be an engineer, but I think I know a thing or two.”

Pidge grinned. “Then follow me.”

Atlas hummed to her day cycle, the lights growing warmer in tone by the time Pidge wrapped up explaining their project. Shiro was good the first half, but after that they started into tangents and Shiro quickly lost the threads of their thoughts. So the ping he gets on his data pad, a message from Allura, is a surprise. 

_*I swear if one more diplomat interrupts me when speaking I am going to toss them out the balcony window*_

Shiro smiles at the message and pings back a quick, _*I hear you there. I almost tossed the Arlian diplomat last month.*_

Pidge cleared their throat. “I’m guessing that’s Allura.”

“Yeah, she’s trying to not start any intergalactic incidents.”

“Glad we don’t have to do that. I don’t have the patience anymore for diplomacy.”

“We know. You had that Dyad on his knees, we’re lucky Keith was able to smooth it over.”

“He kept misgendering me, Shiro. I’m not gunna take it.” 

“And you shouldn't have to. Which is also why we have you in R&D and not part of the welcoming wagon.” 

Pidge crossed their arms and slumped in their chair. “I know, it’s just… frustrating.”

“Still having a hard time with your mom?”

“Yeah. Sometimes she’s okay and then she’ll just say something or do something and I just… I don’t know. Spiral. Matt runs a lot of interference at dinner time. I know she’s trying really hard, I do. But I sometimes don’t think she’ll ever see me as anything other than her little girl.” 

The team had only known Pidge as non-binary. Lance and Hunk had only roomed with them for a few weeks before Voltron happened. Shiro knew Pidge some from before Kerberos, but not enough to more than know they were Matt’s sibling. Coming out to their family had been difficult on everyone. Sam was pretty accepting, and Matt seemed to have always known, but Colleen had a harder time with it. Shiro could never figure out if it was just her refusal to lose her daughter for good, or if there was something else going on, but Pidge moved from the family unit in the garrison to the paladin quarters on Atlas and took to hiding from their parents. Keith has Kosmo on literal guard dog duty for some of it, transporting Pidge whenever they felt they needed to get away or hide. 

“You know I’m proud of you, right? It’s not easy to stand your ground to your parents like you have, even as an adult. I know you want her in your life, but you’re protecting yourself too. It’s good you see the balance.”

“That’s what Ryner says too. Did I tell you Olkarion was moving forward with the last bit of reconstruction? I’m hoping to go next month and help them get that finished. The Green Lion would be so helpful in this case. We still haven’t come across any energy signatures that might indicate where they went.”

“They had a role to fulfill and they did. They might have been robots, but they suffered a lot in 10,000 years. It’s understandable they left.”

“I know. Sometimes I just feel like a child. I want to stomp my feet and tell the universe it just isn’t fair. We did so much, why did it have to take the lions?”

“I don’t know, Pidge.” Shiro stood and stretched. “Come on, it’s breakfast time. Join me?”

“Yeah, okay.”

* * *

Another week and another empty schedule. Shiro asked Coran, Sam and Iverson about it and they all just shrugged it off and pointed out their own light calendars. He doesn’t understand how seven hours worth of meetings suddenly disappeared from everyone’s schedule, but it’s clear that he wasn’t getting any answers any time soon. 

He adjusted his routine, spent his mornings with Lance when he’s available, visited Pidge when he could and, as he stood in the kitchen, took lessons with Hunk and Romelle. 

Shiro was never a good cook, but he was never bad at it either, he just never had the time or need. His family handled all the meals when he was young, and after he was diagnosed, all his meals were dictated by a nutritionist. After that the Garrison provided his meals, and while he and Adam lived together, Adam cooked more often than not. 

So he stood in the middle of the kitchen with a black apron around him (Hunk had an apron for all the Paladins, Romelle chose her own pink and yellow tie-dyed apron) as Hunk showed them the correct way to Julienne vegetables. 

As Shiro attempted it himself, he had a moment of gratefulness for the Olkari for replacing his arm with something more streamlined. It worked with the port Sam and Allura had put in, but the arm was attached, and modeled after his Galran arm. It was sensitive, capable of registering all but the lightest touches and while he could recognize feedback from heat or cold, it never registered as pain or discomfort. He still had the other arm, the one Keith called a floating behemoth and far too reminiscent of a certain someone he had killed to be comfortable. Shiro appreciated the arm, it’s power, and how it saved his life and gave him the strength he needed in those final days. However, his life wasn’t like that now, and he agreed with Keith’s assessment and kept the arm locked away for emergencies only. 

Carrots, celery, a root vegetable he didn’t recognize, Hunk had them cutting for part of the afternoon as he filled and labeled food prep bins with their work. Hunk did intergalactic catering on a part time basis, one event, once a month with the rest of his time split between Atlas and the Balmera where Shay lived. 

“Thanks, Shiro! Man, you’ve gotten a lot better at this!”

“I had a good teacher.”

Hunk laughed. “Maybe, but I think you just know how to get into the zone, you know. Patience yields focus.”

“Do I really say that that much? I swear all of you have quoted that back to me at some point.”

“Oh, don’t feel bad, Shiro. I think it’s good advice.” Romelle set her bin beside them. “Keith tells the junior Blades the same thing all the time.” 

Romelle balanced her time as a part time Blade, helping in the development work and in organizing what she could of the remaining history. Shiro had found her several times with stacks of tomes towering above her as she sorted through information into a cohesive story. She was an avid history buff, something that came as a bit of a surprise to Shiro who always found her to be a bit too bubbly for constant companionship. 

Hunk leaned over and gave a swift kiss to her cheek and gathered the bins into the walk-in fridge. Romelle sat with a sigh and stretched her legs. “Only another Phoeb to go.” She rubbed her stomach, pregnant with twins. 

That was another thing that surprised Shiro. Hunk, Romelle, and Shay had a busy relationship between them. He was glad for them, but watching Romelle’s pregnancy was something else. Twins were apparently not common among Alteans, while it was very common in Balmerans. No one asked too many questions, save Lance who learned his lesson very early on, but every now and then Shiro had to wonder how they all worked together. 

“Shay should be here by then,” Hunk said as he left the fridge. “She’s pretty excited.”

Shiro bit his tongue to keep from asking any questions he did not really want the answer to. Keith seemed to know what was going on, and offered to explain it, but Shiro passed. It was hard enough to follow the relationship publicly, he didn’t need to know it privately too. Still, he smiled at the happy pair and retreated back to his work area to start cutting up fruit. 

“Did Keith tell you when he’d be back?” Romelle asked. 

“No, but he was hoping it would be a shorter mission. There’s no way to communicate and Krolia hasn’t been very forthcoming with information. She just tells me he’s doing well, no changes, and that’s it.”

“Sounds frustrating.” Hunk took one of the slices of fruit and ate it. “Honestly, you’d think she’d tell you more with how close you guys are.”

Shiro rubbed the back of his neck. He’d thought the same thing as well, each communication with Krolia or Kolivan was kept short and almost insultingly curt in a way Shiro hadn’t expected. He spent some of his extra time wondering what, if anything, he had done wrong to piss them off like he apparently had. 

“I don’t know. I wish I did, but I don’t.”

“Trust Krolia. That’s all there is to it,” Romelle said. She would know better than most given how much time she spent with the Blades. “Oh! Shiro, I almost forgot, Allura said she would be visiting next week!”

“Oh! That’s great. It will be good to catch up.”

“I guess I should probably stock up on cookies then,” Hunk said. “Does Lance know she’s coming?”

“No, she wants it to be a surprise. She’s had an awful go of things with all the dignitaries so she’s taking a few Quintants to regroup. Though from what I understand everyone is feeling the same as her and are taking time to rest.”

“From what I understand there are a lot of different personalities involved. There was always going to be difficulties.” Shiro wiped his cutting board down. “I’m not envious of her at all. I have enough trouble managing the Atlas.”

Hunk and Romelle shared a quick look. “And you do a wonderful job, Shiro!” Romelle said. “Ah, would you look at that, it’s nearly dinner. Hunk, you said the roast would be ready?”

“Yeah. Oh, man, Shiro, you are gonna love this…” 

* * *

Allura arrived in the middle of the night, hair pulled up into a bun, dressed down and looking exhausted. Lance was still asleep, and Shiro greeted her in the hanger with a tight hug. 

“You look tired, princess.”

“Yes, well. It’s been several trying movements with the dignitaries. I’ll update you later on. For now, I’d like to surprise Lance and get some rest. I’ll message you?”

“Sure. I’ve got a lot of free time, oddly enough.”

Allura gave a large grin, grabbed her bags and headed to her quarters which she shared with Lance when they were both on board. 

It took two days for Shiro and Allura to coordinate a meeting. Iverson and Sam joined as she updated them on the coalitions progress as well as the state of New Altea and the thriving alliances that were already made with Daibazaal and Olkarion. Trade thrived between the three main planets while others along the route joined in as well. 

The issue currently was adding more systems to that trade hub, hopefully with New Altea as the centerpiece, as it was already turning into a booming transportation hub with its teleduv technology. Many of the planets who wanted into the network were not as amenable to some of the coalitions rules, which included trade with all planets and races, and to give aid to any neighboring planets who were also coalition members and requested it. Several planets protested the trade as this also included New Daibazaal and the Galra, and others protested the requirement to give aid for, what was frequently, as Allura explained, ridiculous reasons which included one planet that refused based on the sole history they had with their neighbor and the insult which occurred five thousand years ago over the meal served at a coronation banquet. Sam and Iverson nodded along, but could offer nothing more than kind words and support. 

The Atlas would always be tied to Earth, but had more or less become its own independent operation. Shiro was in contact with earth officials once a month, and that was often just a short update. Shiro decided where to go, who to offer aid to, or who to fight off. Earth wanted very little from the Atlas or the coalition other than trade and aid, both of which it could organize on its own without the Atlas’ input. 

Sam and Iverson left the meeting with the promise to send along what information they could to Earth and keep them updated on the coalitions status. 

Allura slumped in her seat. “You see now why I chose to have a break. Negotiations were breaking down and if one more person argued with me over the fact that no, I do not know where Voltron is, and no, the Galra are not to be scorned, I was likely to shut the whole thing down.” Allura buried her face in her hands and mumbled out, “Sometimes I wish I had never agreed to this.”

“Allura…”

“No, I know. This is what I wanted.” She looked out the window. “Still, I have to wonder if Lotor had a point. He often said how the elimination of the Empire would leave a vacuum, and I guess I always thought things would sort themselves out. The last thing the universe needed was another ruler, but sometimes I have to wonder if it would just be easier to turn the coalition that way. Be a leading force in the universe. Bringing peace instead of war, love instead of fear.”

“Would you be happy with that decision? Would being the new leader of the free universe make you proud?”

She sighed. “No, it wouldn’t. I just wish I could do more. To be honest, I was hoping Keith had returned from the Blades and would be willing to come back with me.”

“Keith?”

“As both the red and black Paladins and as a leader in the humanitarian efforts of the Blades and as the ambassador to Daibazaal, he has a lot of power and his word holds a lot of weight. I feel they would listen to him better than myself in many ways.”

“Perhaps, but Keith isn’t like that. He barely has the patience for the ambassador events Kolivan forces him to attend.”

“True. Still, I would like to ask him to join for the next round of meetings. Speaking of Keith, how are you two?”

“Good.”

“I hear a but in that statement.”

Shiro sighed and swiveled his chair some. “I don’t know honestly. He took off on a sudden mission about three weeks ago and I just have a weird feeling about it. Anytime I talk to Kolivan or Krolia I get bare minimum details, if any it seems, and I just… don’t know.”

“I see. And have you two made full amends for… things?”

Shiro blushed and cringed. “I thought so, but maybe not.” His very brief marriage after the war was embarrassing at best, and a catastrophic failure at worst. Six months and the entirety of Voltron ignoring him, of Keith straight up disappearing, and the whole thing fell apart. 

“Perhaps you’re looking at this a little too closely.”

“It’s all I can do. It’s been three weeks and it’s like my whole crew has shut me out. I went from ten meetings a day to two or three, and no one will talk to me about what happened that they all suddenly disappeared. I’ve got nothing to do.”

Allura gave him a sad look and he replayed what he said in his head. 

“Oh.”

“Yes, Shiro, oh. The war is over, but you’re not moving on. No one is asking you to step down from the Atlas, but Shiro, when was the last time you just spent time with your friends?”

“I talk to you and Keith every day. I see Lance frequently. I spend time with Hunk and Romelle.”

“Shiro, you’ve been to New Altea three times in the three years. You practically slept through Romelle’s baby shower. Seeing Lance in the halls hardly qualifies, and Hunk indicated you had only spent a few hours a month in the kitchen. We’re not upset, but we miss you. You never join for Monsters and Mana, despite our repeated invites. You train with Keith but little else. You spend all your time in meetings that you have no need to be in.”

Shiro buried his face in his palms. “Is it really that bad?”

“Yes, it is. And quite frankly we’re all sick of it. I don’t know who changed your schedule around, but Shiro, you don’t have to do this alone. The Atlas has hundreds of personnel, there are plenty of people qualified to have these meetings without you being there.”

“Says the princess who’s determined to unite the universe all by herself.” Shiro couldn’t help himself from saying. He hated the way it sounded as soon as he said it.

“Hardly. If you visited you’d realize that there’s actually a counsel of twenty, and each member has their own smaller counsel. We meet once a month. I am hardly the only one making an effort here, Shiro.”

Shiro groaned and stood up. “I just,” he paused and walked to the window. The bright neon nebula lingered in the distance. “I can’t let go. I don’t know how to let go at this point. Understand, most of my life I’ve been helpless to really decide things for myself. I mean, yeah I decided to go to the Garrison, and to accept the Kerberos mission, but outside of that… my disease, the arena, becoming a paladin, the cloning, coming back to life, the war, becoming the captain of the Atlas… I feel like the list goes on sometimes. And I don’t mean to make small of anyone’s struggles, we all have dealt with some serious issues, but Allura, look at my life. I’ve never stopped moving, never stopped pushing forward and letting go of anything has never been an option.”

Allura moved to stand beside him. “I’m sorry, Shiro. I truly am. Of all of us, you have suffered the greatest, so much of it beyond your control. I can understand why you chose to live your life this way. I also wish you would recognize how unhealthy it is. Tell me, these past three weeks, how have you been?”

“Bored mostly. But it is nice. I’ve been able to see my therapist on time each week for once. Lance and I spar in the mornings and I spend afternoons either with Hunk and Romelle or Pidge, depending.” Shiro sighed. “I guess I didn’t realize how separated I had become from the rest of the team. I still have too much time on my hands though.”

“That’s acceptable. Perhaps you need only three or four meetings a day rather than ten. I understand the desire to keep moving, my time in New Altea seems packed from sunup to sun down. But I still try to make time for the things that matter to me. I take tea with Coran as often as possible. I text you each day and we talk once a week. I spend each night talking to Lance. I text the others as well. I delegate what I can to make time for the things that truly matter. Even if I did bring peace to the universe, it would mean nothing if I did not have my friends.”

Shiro dropped his shoulders and pulled Allura into a long hug. “You are a wonderful friend, Allura.”

“As are you, if we could get you away from your desk for more than thirty tics!” She grinned. “Now, please, join us for Monsters and Mana tonight?”

“Alright, princess. But I want to be a paladin.”

* * *

Shiro kicked around the Atlas another week, thinking about what Allura said. He managed to wrangle another meeting into his schedule, and had them spaced far enough apart he could enjoy his days and not feel useless. 

Allura was to leave for New Altea in a few days, much to everyone’s dismay. She brought something bright and vibrant to the ship that was missing, and Shiro thought she had a point in him missing so much. 

He stretched out on his bed, read through a report from Iverson from the meetings Shiro no longer attended and he realized three lines in there was never a reason for him to have been in any of those to begin with. He tossed his data pad on the floor, chuckled and buried his face in his pillow. 

He wanted Keith to come home. Outside of missing him, Shiro wanted to tell Keith he was right, Shiro was stupidly overtaxed. He needed to step back from things, and Keith was, yet again, more aware of what Shiro needed in his life than Shiro was. 

But Krolia still wasn’t giving him any information on the mission. Not about Keith or how much longer it would be. He hated to beg, but he decided he would tomorrow, if only to hear something other than the mission is going well. 

His datapad pinged and he leaned over the edge of the bed to see who was messaging him. 

_*Hey, new recipe! Come to the mess hall!*_ From Hunk. 

He dressed and headed to the mess, curious to know what Hunk had made. 

The doors opened as he entered and a moment of darkness before the lights clicked on with a “Surprise!”

Shiro blinked a few times before realizing who all was there, and that in the middle of his friends was a brightly lit cake with his name on it. 

“Oh.”

“Oh? Buddy, we surprise you and all we get is oh?” Lance said. 

“I guess it slipped my mind. Is- is it really my birthday?”

“February 29th. I know space time works differently, but I keep a clock on Earth time. It’s not surprising you didn’t notice it,” Pidge said with a grin. 

“We were super nervous you’d figure it out right away, but then you didn’t and then it was just a little concerning.”

“What Hunk means is, we rearranged your schedule so you’d have some time off, and to hopefully get you to see just how overworked you were,” Romelle said. 

“Shiro, you are our dearest friend. Now, come celebrate with us.” Allura held out her hand. 

“Thanks everyone.” Shiro paused. His chest felt tight, like he might cry. This was… perfect. To see his friends all together. To be with them all. Except… “I wish Keith were here for this.”

“I am, actually. Who do you think planned all this anyways?” Keith came into the room, walking out from the kitchens. “I had Pidge rearrange your schedule, Lance started coming to you in the mornings, Hunk has been stressing with Romelle and so I asked him to ask you to help. Allura really was having problems with the delegation, so asking her to join us wasn’t much of a hardship.”

“And your mission?”

“I got called to Daibazaal or a minor thing. Krolia and Kolivan have been running interference for me, trying to keep you from getting too nosy. Honestly, mom was starting to get concerned you’d try warping planetside to get answers.”

Shiro blushes and rubbed his neck. “Well, she’s not too far off actually. But Keith, really, all this for me?”

“You deserve it, Shiro. You’ve been working yourself too hard. Everyone needs a break every now and then. I honestly didn’t know what else to do. Besides, what better way for all of us to celebrate your birthday? Now, come on and cut the cake.”

“Thank you, Keith.” Shiro pulled him into a tight hug. 

* * *

Shiro herded Keith back to his room once the cake was gone, stories were traded and everyone was yawning. 

“Calm down, I’m not going anywhere. We have a few days before I have to leave with Allura,” Keith complained as Shiro pulled him down the hall. 

“Please, Keith?” 

“Okay.” Keith hurried up to Shiro’s side and followed him into Shiro’s room. He turned to Shiro when the room door closed. “Is everything okay?”

“Keith, I love you,” Shiro blurted out. 

They both stared at each other, faces red. 

“I have, for a long time, actually. I just. These past few weeks, I’ve had a lot of time to think and you were gone… It has been lonely. I mean, yes there was Lance and Hunk and Pidge, but, Keith, none of them are you.”

“Shiro. I love you too. And I have for a very long time. Like, the day you left for Kerberos. I waited for you to come back, and when you didn’t, well. You know I wasn’t in that shack for no reason.” 

It was unspoken why Keith was there. Shiro had an inkling, but never wanted to put it into words. Having it confirmed was reassuring and horrifying. 

“I wanted to come back. I thought about you the whole time we were gone. And when I was captured? I thought I was never coming back. I thought I’d never see you again. I used to daydream about what it would be like when I got home. What I would say to you. I probably wouldn’t have made this far without you, to be honest.”

“I wouldn’t have made it either. Shiro, did you know Galra are fiercely monogamist? We only ever choose one person in our lives. To us, that person is everything. We do our best to tend to that person, to be with him, to link our lives with theirs. I always knew you were alive, even if no one else believed me. Mom said she could tell we were “linked” as soon as she saw us together. Even if you weren’t you at the time. Our quintessence is tied together, there is nothing that can break that. You don’t have any sensitivity like I do, but I always know how you are. It’s why I asked for this break for you. You were stressed, frustrated, upset, and it seemed like I couldn’t do anything to help. I was starting to make myself sick with worry.”

“Keith, I-”

Keith held his hand up. “Please. Let me finish. Shiro, I have loved you for a long time and I will love you for a long time yet to come. I just want you to be happy and healthy.”

“I…” Shiro drifted off then rushed forward, pulling Keith into a tight hug and kissing him. It sent sparks down his spine, it was like coming home and the kiss deepened, pulling moans from them both. They parted and rested their heads together.

“Happy Birthday, Shiro.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Please forgive any formatting issues, I tried my hardest to get it sorted out, but having never worked with this before it's always a bit of trial and error.


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